Now, a powerful bipartisan coalition of over two dozen influential Congress members led by Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA)–both 2017 WCW Waste Warriors–wants to see this happen across the entire federal government.

As it stands, helpless dogs, cats, and primates that are subjected to cruel government experiments spend their lives in a lab. I’m proud to lead a bipartisan push to get these animals into loving homes and sanctuaries after experimentation is done. https://t.co/pMt2IaxtiF

In a letter sent to eight agency heads this morning, the lawmakers–citing several of WCW’s victories, related state laws and support from the scientific community–wrote:

Our constituents are increasingly concerned about the welfare of animals used in federally-funded research and strongly support research animal adoption and retirement. We agree that cats, dogs and primates that survive taxpayer-funded government research should be provided with an opportunity to find suitable non-laboratory homes at the completion of studies.

The letter expresses concern about a lack of agency policies on this issue and requests information from the department heads on their use of dogs, cats and primates in experiments and any agency activity related to the retirement of animals no longer needed in experiments. The request was sent to agencies currently using thousands of these animals in experiments, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Smithsonian Institution (SI). Days after the letter was sent, the VA confirmed a new policy encouraging the retirement of animals from its laboratories.

“Our constituents are increasingly concerned about the welfare of animals used in federally-funded research and strongly support research animal adoption” https://t.co/YsjkiEMPwU

Blog Comments

Free them. There is enough suffering in the world without artificially creating it for useless medical efforts. These labs are scarier than prisons, with the noises, chemicals, needles and blades. Whu subject animals who have done nothing wrong to a worse fate than prisoners. Animals belong on trees, forests, rivers and all that is beautiful about earth.

How about no testing on these poor babies in the first place. Yes we are all for these poor babies getting amazing homes, but your saying after they get tested on. How about keep them from getting tested on in the first place. These poor babies should never have to go through this. It’s so heartbreaking.

Protect the innocent animals that are suffering from the hands of humans. SAD to say that we are the most destructive generation in history. The worst thing about this is we are destroying the innocent animals that needs our help. The innocent animals that are suffering for the cause of what? Money ? That’s not a good reason for this to be happening. We have to change the way we do things like this. Society today is so screwed up and wrong. We have advanced technology to do this. STOP THE KILLING OF INNOCENT ANIMALS. They deserve better than this.

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